Mail-box.



F. 0. CARLSON.

MAIL BOX. APPLICATION FILED JULY 20,1915- '.1,200,584=. Patented Oct. 10,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET '1.

INVENTOR F- O.CAR sou UNITE STA s PAENT OFFICE.

FRANK O. GARLSON, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BOX.

Application filed July 20, 1915.

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention is directed to improvements in letter boxes, and has for its object to so construct the same that the collector will be notified whether or not the box contains mail.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mail box constructed in such a manner that when the door thereof is opened, the drawer containing the mail will be projected partly from the box, thus eliminating sectional View. Fig. 6 is a similar view on the necessity of the collector placing his hand in the box for gathering the mail.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an indicator which is actuated by mail which is deposited in the box, said indicator bearing difierent colors, one to indicate that mail has been deposited in the box, and the other to indicate that no mail has been deposited, thus saving the collectors time necessary to open the box.

lVith these and other objects in view, this invention resides in the novel features of construction, formation, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is an end view of the box. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the drawer and platform, the front wall of the box being re moved. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the drawer, showing the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. lis an end view of the drawer, the box being shown in section. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse line 6-6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is an end view of the box, partly in section. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the bracket.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates the letter box, which is provided in its top with the mail slot 2, which is of the usual construction, and opens into a chute 3.

The ends of the box 1 are provided with bearings 4 and in which are journaled the opposite ends of the horizontal shaft 5, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10 1916.

Serial No. 40,935.

purpose of which will appear later. Pivotally connected to the outer surface of one end of the box is a segmental shaped plate 6, which is painted partly black and partly white, as at 7 and 8, the black space serving to indicate that no mail has been deposited 1n the box, while the white space serves to indicate that the box contains mail. The plate 6 is mounted in the housing 9, which is suitably connected to the end of the box,

and is provided with a segmental shaped sight opening 10, and with which either of the spaces may register.

Fixed to the interior of the front of the box 1 is a bracket 11, the lower end of which slidably supports the spring pressed bolt 12, which has its rear end pivotally connected to a lug 13 carried by the shaft 5, said shaft being further provided with a plate 14 which is arranged below the lower end of the chute 3 so that, when a letter is deposited in the chute the weight of the same will move the plate 14 downwardly, thus rocking the shaft 5, the purpose of which will appear later.

Vertically spaced guides 15 are fixed interiorly to the front ofthe box for slidably receiving the bar 16 which has its upper end provided with a shoulder 17, said shoulder being adapted to engage the outer end of the bolt 12, and when thus engaged said bar is held in its raised position. The lower endof the bar 16 is rigidly connected to the platform 18, through the medium of the bracket 19. The platform is provided at its longitudinal edges with guides 20, which are slidably engaged by the flanges 21, the sanie being fixed to the bottom of the drawer 22.

Pivotally connected to one end of the box 1 is a bell crank lever 23, and to the hori- Zontal arm 21 is pivotally connected the up per end of the rod 25, the lower end of which is provided with a hook 26 adapted to engage the platform 18 so that downward movement of the platform will rock the bell crank lever 23. The plate 6 is provided with an ear 27 which is pivotally connected to the vertical arm 28 of the bell crank lever by the link 29, whereby when the platform moves downwardly the plate 6 will be swung so that the space 8 will coincide with the sight opening 10 of the housing, thus indicating that mail has been deposited in the box.

One end of the box 1 is provided with the doorway 30, which is normally closed by the hinged door 31, said door having fixed interiorly thereof an arcuate bar 32, the lower end of which is engaged with the leaf spring 33, which is suitably connected to the bottom of the box 1, said spring serving to force the door open when the door is unlocked. The lower end of the bar 32 is provided with a lip 34, which is adapted to rock the lever 35, which is pivotally connected to one side of the mail box 1. Pivotally connected to the box 1, and on the same side as the lever 35, is a bell crank 36, the lower end of which is provided with an eye 37 for slidably receiving the inner end of the rod 38, saidrodhavingits outer end pivotally connected 'to the upper: end of the lever 35. The rod 38 is provided with a collar 39, which is adapted to engage the bell crank lever 36 to rock the same, thereby disengagingthe lip40 thereof from the notch 41 formed'in the upper edge of one side of the drawer 22. The rear end of the drawer 22 is provided with stops 42, which are adapted to engage the lip 40 of the bell crank to limit the outward movement of the drawer 22.

The rear end of the drawer 22, normally engages the coil spring 43, which is suitably connected to'the adjacent end of the box 1.

When the drawer is-in its receiving position the spring 43 will be compressed, but as soon as the bell crank lever 36 is rocked so that the lip 40 thereof disengages the notch 41, said spring will expand, thus forcing the drawer partly from the box 1, it being of course understood that the door 31 has been opened so that the lip 34 carried by the bar 32 rocks the lever 35.

An angle lever 44 is provided, and is pivotally connected to the interior surface of the front wall of the box 1, said lever having its arm-45 engaged with the lower end of the bar 16, while the arm 46 thereof is disposed in the path of movement of the pivoted detent 47, which is carried by one side of the drawer 22. Associated with the detent 47 is an arcuate bar 48, which is attached to one side of the drawer 22 by a right angle extension 49, which serves to limit the swinging movement of the detent toward the doorway 30, but permitting the same to swing in an opposite direction so that when the drawer 22 is forced from the box the detent 47 may ride over the arm 46 of the lever 44. Thus it will be seen that whenthe drawer 22 is slid rearwardly into the box 1 that the detent47 will engage the arm 46 of'the lever 44 thus rocking the same so that the arm 45 will move the bar 16 upwardly until the bolt 12 engages the shoulder 17, thereby holding the bar and platform in their raised position, and at which time the drawer will be also in its raised position. It is obvious tha-twhen the platform 18 moves upwardly that the rod 25 will also move upwardly, thereby rocking the bell crank lever 23, which action rotates the plate 6, through the medium of the link 29, whereby the space 7 will be in registry with the sight opening 10, thus indicating that no mail has been deposited in the box.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a letter will be guided by the chute 3 to the plate 14, the weight of which will be sufficient to retract the bolt 12 from engagement with the shoulder 17, whereupon the platform 18, with the drawer thereon, will move downwardly, and simul taneous therewith the rod 25. The downward movement of the rod25 will rock the bell crank lever 23, thereby shifting the plate 6 so that the space 8 thereon will coincide with the sight opening 10 of the housing 9, thus indicating to the collector that mail has been deposited in the box. lVhen the door- 31 is opened the bar 32 will rock the lever 35, thus shifting the rod 38 until the collar 39 engages the bell crank lever 36, which action rocks said lever to disengage the lip 40 carried thereby from the notch 41, whereupon the spring 43 will. force the drawer outwardly until the stop 42 engages the lip 41, after which the collector removes the mail from the drawer 22. After the mail has been removed from the drawer 22 it is slid into the box, whereupon the detent 47 engages the arm 46 of the lever 44, and during the engagement thereof said lever is rocked, thereby movingthe bar 16 upwardly until the same is engaged by the bolt 12, which action, as before stated holds the drawer. in its raised position, and shifts the plate 6 so that the space 7 willbe displayed.

It will be noted that+the stop 42 is provided with a beveled upper edge 50, which permits the stop to ride freely under thelip 40 of the bell crank lever 36, when the drawer 22 is slid into the box. By provid ing the platform18 with guides 20 for receivingtheflanges 21, which are carried by the bottom of the drawer 22, it is obvious that the drawer will be prevented from moving laterally upon the platform, but may slide freely thereon.

The door 31 is held in its closed position by the lock 51, which may be of any con ventional construction.

This invention is directed especially to that type of mail boxes which are placed upon corners, or in oflice buildings.

WVha-t is claimed is 1. A mail box having a vertically movable platform therein, means for holding the platform in its raised position, a-ndmeans operable by the deposit of mail in the box to actuate the holding means, whereby the platform drops to its-lowered position, and a. drawer slidably supported by the platform for receiving the mail.

2. Amail box having a rockshaft journaled longitudinally therein, a plate carried by the shaft, a mail chute in the box and having its lower end disposed above the plate, a platform, a drawer slidably supported by the platform, a bar fixed to the platform and having a shoulder, a spring pressed bolt slidably supported in the box and adapted to normally engage the shoulder to hold the platform in its raised position, said plate being moved downwardly by mail deposited in the chute, whereby the shaft is rocked, means connecting the shaft and bolt to disengage the latter from the shoulder, when the shaft is rocked, thereby permitting the platform to drop to its lowered position.

8. A mail box having a vertically movable platform mounted therein, means for normally holding the platform in its raised position, a drawer slidably mounted on the platform, a door opening in the box, a door hingedly associated with the door opening, means operable by the deposit of mail in the box to permit the platform to drop to its lowered position, and means operable when the drawer is slid into the box to raise the platform to its normal position, and an indicator plate operable by the platform during its vertical movement as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK O. CARLSON. Witnesses:

AUGUST W. DAHLs'rRoM, SIGURD W. JOHNSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

